KeisterHollow

I've usually been a supporter of Nix on this forum. I happen to think his drafts have been better than a lot of GM's, and I think he's done a good job of building the lines, and for the most part has the roster beefed up to the point where we're one excellent offseason away from being able to compete with just about anyone. That being said, there are a few things about Nix that keep bothering me. Firstly, his hiring of Chan Gailey. Now, I was never too critical of that hire, because it felt like a hire that Nix might have been nudged into making, and it seemed like the better names were not interested. However, I would have greatly preferred a lesser known college coach or coordinator. Secondly, and again, although Nix could get all the blame, I am left wondering how much of this decision was someone else's (Chan Gailey's) - I'm referring to NOT drafting a QB worth a damn in three years! Its just mind boggling! My take on it the whole time it was happening was this: either they didn't want some college kid, or proven vet, coming in and challenging Fitz's confidence, or they didn't want someone else to come in and outperform Fitz, forcing them to start someone else WHILE paying Fitz his big money deal. Either way, a trend is beginning to appear here that seems to bridge both Gailey and Nix - they're making decisions NOT based on what is best for winning, but on other things, like loyalty, or fear. Now, those two decisions of Nix's were bad, but I could still get behind him for a few more years knowing he can draft pretty good, and coupled with F.A., he could still help build a winning team. Yesterday, though, at the press conference, Nix said something that really bothered me and made me think he doesn't have that certain something that the best NFL men have. He was talking about Gailey, saying how Gailey was a winner everywhere he'd ever been, and he just couldn't get the job done here. Wait a minute - Gailey has been a winner everywhere he's been? What has Gailey won on his own? Did he win a national championship in college? Did his teams go undefeated? Did his Dallas teams win the Super Bowl? Kansas City? Miami? What bothers me is IF Nix considers just making it to the playoffs as successful, AND, if he considers what Gailey has done as successful, then what other coaches might seem like WINNERS to him? I don't want Nix's version of success getting in the way of the Bills actually getting a coach capable of winning - the Whisenhunts, the Lovie Smiths of the NFL are not the same as the Grudens, or Cowhers, or even Reids, and there's a big difference. After listening to Russ Brandon, I feel like he knows what I'm talking about. I feel like Russ wants World Class Caliber coaching here, and I'm just glad Russ and Doug Whaley are helping in this current coaching hire.

Whoever takes over as H.C., he'll have at least 2 years. If he doesn't win year one, as long as there are good things happening, it'll be acceptable. I make this point because IF Gailey had still been here, then he and Nix would have had to look to fill all the holes on this roster this offseason. They would have had a lot of pressure to come out of this draft with a starting QB, one or two starting LB'ers, and a starting WR. Or, at least, out of the offseason. Now, however, this new coach has the flexibility to draft 2 QB's this year - and could do so highly, as Washington did last year. I propose they do so. This is the type of QB draft where there could be 5-8 QB's all close in talent or abilities, but, as we know, sometimes the fit isn't right and good talent does not progress as it might if it were elsewhere. So, if you're a new coach and you're coming into Buffalo, where the big problem these past near 2 decades is obviously a lack of excellent QB play, I would draft 2 QB's in the first 4 rounds, AND I'd bring in a F.A. - all of this AFTER getting rid of all the QB's on our roster. I could get behind Alex Smith, say, for a few years, while someone like Tyler Bray, or Landry Jones - drafted in the second round, develop. Or, get a QB in the first round, trading up to do so, and start him, while letting a later drafted QB develop - like in Washington - and having a veteran available just in case.

I think this might not be so far off. Firstly, Ralph hasn't trusted anyone with the Bills as much as he's trusted Russ in a long time. Seems like no matter what the Bills do, Russ still finds a way to keep it profitable. And, as far as Ralph is concerned, that above all proves that Russ can keep the team ALIVE. Secondly, IF Wilson wanted to step down, and IF he did so while leaving Brandon in charge of marketing and finances and Nix in charge of football operations, then it would be clear that within a few years, at most, Whaley would be running the entire football side of things. Now, I think it reflects not a bit on Whaley's skin color, but more on his age and total lack of previous experience that Ralph might not trust his teams in the hands of a young up-and-comer he doesn't really know that well. From Ralph's perspective, this is his way of keeping control without keeping control - by letting someone who's intentions are profit and sustainability above all else, run the team! All that being said, I like that Russ Brandon met with Gruden. It shows he's out to AT LEAST TRY to make this team relevant. Because, he was either asking Gruden about his interest in coaching, or asking Gruden's advice - and, I like to think that Russ Brandon is not above asking for advice - it's the guys who get in over their heads who refuse to admit they might not know it all that really scare me. I could get excited about a Young Duo in Brandon/Whaley and a younger, fresh coach. I think that WOULD rejuvinate the Bills.

On the bright side, of all the bad teams losing coaches, Buffalo is, IMO, one excellent off-season away from having a solid, young, playoff caliber team. The right H.C. could come in here and look to see a playoff run for years. Chicago, S.D., Philly, and K.C. all have lots of potential, too. However, the draw for a really good H.C. here should be guys like Dareus, K. Williams, Mario W., Byrd, Gilmore, Wood, Levitre, Glenn, Stevie Johnson, Freddy, and SPILLER! That is a group of mostly young players - or players with another 4-5 years of peak performance in them, that could all be PRO-BOWL level. I think if Wilson is willing to spend the money, not only on H.C., but also on assistant coaches, then this H.C. vacancy would look pretty good. Think about it - whoever comes in doesn't have to do any more than make the playoffs and he'll be a GOD here. Every other NFL team and H.C. has much bigger standards, and doesn't have that fan adoration element like we do. I could see the Jon Gruden/ Russ Brandon meeting going like this: Brandon: "I want you to tell me, What would it take for Buffalo to get you here, hypothetically? How much money, and how much power would you need?" I really think Russ interviewed with Gruden to find out what Buffalo would need to offer a "Big Name" H.C. Think about it - Nix, Wilson, Brandon talking over the past few weeks or more, mentioning potential replacements, and they'd have to say, when names like Cowher and Gruden came up, "But, would they even consider coming here?" It seems only natural that before firing Gailey they'd want to understand if they are willing to spend, or do, whatever it would take to get the guy they wanted.

That, at least, makes this season bearable! However, there are apparently LOTS of H.C.'s being fired - Bears, Carolina, K.C., Philly, S.D., Cleveland, and Buffalo. There could be more. So, which teams are more desirable for potential coaches? Certainly S.D., Chicago, Philly, and Carolina. K.C. and Cleveland are about on par with us. I'd guess Gruden to Philly, and Cowher to Carolina. I don't know how extensive the list is of H.C.'s who we would WANT to have, but I'm going to begin making one.

I'm not too dissappointed that Buffalo is where they are in the draft this year. Sure, I would have LOVED for them to be able to freely choose which QB they'd like, BUT - as far as needing a QB and finding yourself looking to draft one, I think this draft is good for us. There are somewhere between 7-10 QB's likely to come out in this draft who could be starters in the NFL. I believe, the way the NFL has changed of late, and the way college programs are preparing QB's, there will likely be 2 to 4 QB's coming out of this draft who end up being very good, and probably another 2-4 who end up just mid-tier. One of the reasons I'm so optimistic is because for generations QB's were seen as tall, strong armed, rather immobile athletes. Now, though - for the last few years - a new type of QB is emerging. He's fast footed, strong armed, and very athletic. That mobility really creates a new dynamic for offenses, and it's allowing kids who in years past would've been deemed WR's to get shots at QB'ing. To get back to my original point, about this draft being set up good for us - IF a bunch of teams go QB's ahead of us in round 1, that means other talent will fall, which would make our spot either enticing for trades, or might drop a guy like Teo to us. And, if QB's get snagged ahead of us, who's to say they'll be the BEST QB's? Of these QB's - Geno Smith, Matt Barkley, Tyler Wilson, Tyler Bray, Landry Jones, Ryan Nassib, E.J. Manuel, Taj Boyd, Mike Glennon, and then there are the fringe QB's who might come out or who have ''Potential" - A.J. McCarron, Casey Pachall, and Zac Dysert - who's to say Glennon, or Tyler Bray, or Landry Jones doesn't end up better than Geno Smith, Barkley, or Tyler Wilson? I think having the 1st pick overall would be very tough, because there are clearly star quality players AT OTHER POSITIONS, and by picking QB and passing over them, a team might really end up whiffing on the 1st overall pick! My point is, because there is so much 2nd and 3rd round talent at QB, and only a few consensus 1st round talent, the Bills are in a good position to not only get a QB OR TWO, but also to be able to get a really good star player at a position of need like LB in the first round, and still go on and get the QB's in the second or by trading back up. I think any GM worth anything would be able to leave this draft with quality starters at QB, LB, and WR - we could draft 2 of each and they could all end up being starters. It's just that at QB in particular, there are a bunch coming out this year (and, I've followed the draft for 10 years, and I don't think there are 10 potentially quality QB's in every draft. I thought last year there were 6 or so, and the year before about 6 or 7, and the year before that about 3 or 4) and just because none are media favorites, or projected to be super stars, that doesn't have any real impact on reality.

I've said it countless times - it makes no sense an NFL team will spend millions a year on players that aren't even elite, yet most teams refuse to pay the head coaches comparable pay to elite players. That few million dollars a year saved ends up being THE difference between winning and losing, and all that potential money from being a winner is lost. I scratch my head, am dumbfounded, that an industry as scrutinized, as influential and powerful could have such incompetent decision makers. There is this unevaluated belief that because the NFL is played by men who basically only qualify as capable because they are genetic freaks - the .01% - we sort of extend that mystique, we assume that what goes on behind the scenes, in the locker room, is so complex that the men filling these jobs are also elite. It makes sense - the scarcity of these jobs would suggest that only exceptionally qualified people would be able to get positions. Yet, I see more clearly than ever that the difference between the top organizations and the bottom ones is really distinct in the coaching and personnel departments. That is where striking gold makes all the difference. You would think, for Billion dollar organziations, spending a million dollars on a panel of experts to identify the very best, most intelligent, cutting edge candidates, and to present, say, 8 to 10 candidates to Ralph Wilson, so that he could be assured that whoever sold him on their abilities would really be a solid choice. It's just mind boggling that the Bills could, over and over again, hire these ordinary men! I'm so much hoping that trend stops after today!

That punt - IMO - signifies Gailey has been notified he's done. No coach fighting for a job, with the record and recent history this team has, would punt at the opponents 45 yard line. That is the sign of a coach who is stubbornly sticking to his guns.

I think that is a very concise appraisal of the biggest reason for our continued failure. There seems to be too many men with some measure of control over the franchise, and the collective purpose does not seem to line up towards success.

That's true, and a good point - but, I also believe great defenses can still win. Nevertheless, it has become very clear that a potent offense trumps a potent defense in today's NFL. An excellent offense and an average defense will take a team all the way these days quite frequently, I think, while an exceptional defense and a mediocre offense will have a harder time going to distance. All that being said, I'm glad we've invested in defense - and, I don't think we're as far off, personnel wise, as many people suggest. It's much more of an attitude, and strategy, and vision deficiency than personnel inferiority. The right coach could have us looking good in no time.

I think another point made here bears mentioning: there are only 32 NFL teams in the WORLD. With that kind of scarcity, and everything that goes with coaching or performing at the highest possible level, on a global stage, there is no scenario for comparisons where three seasons of .33% winning, and HISTORICALLY BAD defenses to boot, should EVER constitute another year on the job. Coaches at this level should all be GENIUSES, they should all be masters of the various skills needed to succeed in coaching, and they should know everything about the game. To even speculate that certain coaches are incompetent and prove to be for years without being replaced is Crazy. Can anyone imagine consulting the greatest doctors, or engineers, or artists, in the world, and having them offer up absolutely marginal work? Add to that the actuality that DESPITE the scarcity of the jobs, many of the VERY MEN I just referred to - the excellent coaches - refuse to work for the Buffalo Bills! It blows my mind sometimes how bad this organization has been. As far as I see it, there should be new coaches in place very shortly, and an actually competent QB in place for next year. Whichever coach we bring in had better have that Genius, because I know I simply would not be interested in following another year of Bills football, and all the time spent following it throughout the year, if changes aren't made. I would assume there are many fans like me - and if I spent a whole season doing other things, who knows, maybe I don't come back as enthusiastically? It's just amazing how MUCH CRAP this fanbase has accepted, and how much crap the organization perpetually, apparently shamelessly, puts on the field. To even be speaking about WHETHER OR NOT Gailey will be back for ANOTHER year! That is the Buffalo Bills as I see them - until they prove me wrong.

There are other ways to look at it, many of which end up in the same place. I think, though, this says all that needs said on the matter.

Thank You! This is the biggest problem with Buffalo these past 15 plus years - the "rebuilds" have always gone on too long, because the coaching wasn't there, and the talent we'd assembled from high first round picks, and good drafting (when it happened) hit F.A. - and, we simply cannot afford to pay a bunch of top salaries, especially when we're not close. Add to that age, declining abilities, and there is always a sort of window for a team, before it has to reload, dump players, and start over with a new "core" group. I've said it before - if we don't get a good coach in here soon, like next year, we will again hit the point where guys like Spiller, Dareus, Byrd, etc., begin to go elsewhere, and we need to "rebuild" some more. The up and down nature of the NFL allows for quick rebuilds, but if you miss your window, it makes it much harder for a few years. We should all be clear - it isn't the players who are failing us. The Bills have the same type of players as the rest of the NFL. The difference between us and the good teams is coaching. We don't have a coaching staff that is SMART enough, or GOOD enough, to compete with the top coaches. That is strategy alone! That doesn't speak to preparation, or management, or anything else, like motivation. You bring in a Bellicheck, or a Harbough brother, and this team is a 10 win team. If Gailey remains here next year, the team is just as good as wasted. He isn't he man to bring this team where it needs to be, and we've all seen it, even the players, and we all know it. You can't make the players forget that their coach is no good - they already know it. Yes! That mentality says it ALL! You take a coach (or GM, as it were) who walks into a new team and says, "it's going to take a few years, but be patient!", is a guy who DOESN'T think he can win NOW - so, he says, we're "rebuilding", and there is an excuse. Now, contrast that to a coach who walks into any team situation and says, "We're all professionals, we're all men with the same abilities to run, catch, jump, block, etc. - if anyone else can do it, then so can we. We are not handicapped. We are not inferior. We will go out and execute our game plan and we will win!" You see - the latter mentality looks for reasons and ways to win now. The former, as we have seen here, acts as if the team they inherit is handicapped, or not as good - and that perception hurts more than anywhere else in the locker room. As soon as players begin to think they can use their own limitations as an excuse - they simply CANNOT win, they aren't GOOD ENOUGH, then they'll lose and believe its because the other team is BETTER. That IS THE LOSING MENTALITY that all BILLS FANS are SICK OF!!! We need a coach who is good enough, confident enough, to go to battle with anyone.

Sorry, but although I agree with you that our talent is good in most places, and merely lacking in a few critical places, I do not think keeping the status quo with the coaching staff is a good idea. Drafting a QB and LB 1 and 2 makes sense, adding another QB, LB, and WR in the rounds to follow, or in F.A., makes sense, too. But, we need the right coach in here - and we need those top picks to pan out. This team with GOOD coaching, a hot rookie QB, and a star at MLB would be MUCH improved. All attainable; its just a matter of whether or not the top of the organization wants it enough.

I don't mind Nix, and I don't think he's done worse than half the GM's in the NFL. However, I do think he has a fatal flaw, or lacks a certain mentality that exists in the Great Coaches of the NFL. I believe Nix could win us a Super Bowl with the right coach, a coach that possesses that mind-set. However, some of the more sought after H.C.ing candidates want to run the team AND coach. When Nix took over he told the fanbase, as much as they didn't want to hear it, that doing the right job would take time, but that they would build it the right way, through the draft. You see, by admitting, right from the start, that it will likely take time, what you're doing is giving yourself permission to fail, permission to lose right away. When does this permission end? How long until winning is necessary? I mean, when you start out by saying, this is going to take time, you can still say, at the end of the third year, we're not there yet. Compare that mentality to a guy like Harbaugh, for instance, or the guys in Indy, or Seattle - coaches that go in and say, "Just because no one considers us as one of the better teams, that has no bearing on what we really are. We have the talent to win right now - but we all have to be accountable and we all have to do our jobs!" If you aren't thinking this way - that the team you go into the season with is good enough to win with, then you are not qualified for the NFL. There are enough F.A.'s, and rookies and guys out there to fill up a roster with the right kind of talent to win with. It's just that the really good NFL GM's and coaches know exactly what type of player they want, they know exactly how they want their team to play, and so they can identify the right players when they see them. Contrast that with Nix's switch fromt the 3-4 to the 4-3. He didn't know what he was looking for, necessarily. What Buffalo needs more than anything is the kind of guy who is smart enough to actually compete with the better coaches in the NFL, and one who has the mentality I referred to above. The right coach and QB could be here this offseason, and the Buffalo Bills could be back!

Who knows if it would turn the favor for a guy like Jon Gruden, but I do believe he mentioned wanting these things, for sure, in his next team: Solid to great players at CB, DE/OLB, LT, and QB. As I have said before, we have all but the QB, but are in line to be able to hand select from almost an entire draft, which includes many decent QB options. Then there is F.A. to pick up other players, on a team that has real stars elsewhere, too - we only need major upgrades in a few places (WR, LB, QB) and coaching. Anyway, it is the type of place a coach could come in and - if he had the right cooperation with the rest of the team - WIN right away, and still have a good, solid team for years to come.

Someone should ask Nix or Wilson this: "Do you want to be remembered as having wasted the talent of these players: Spiller, Byrd, Dareus, K. Williams, Levitre, Wood, Mario Williams, Gilmore..." I mean, can you imagine trying to justify to the money men, this offseason, spending big money on Levitre, Byrd, and then next year guys like Spiller, Carrington, etc. - my point is this, we have enough talent on this team, and we're going to have to start to pay for it, and then there is the added difficulty of letting guys hit their contracts when they want nothing more than to get to a winning team. All this player talent - which is what all that money is going to be spent on - is not being justified on the field. It is a very critical time for the Bills franchise. Nix's words, come draft time, seem fitting here - he says there are picks that can set you back years. Well, the way this franchise has been used, a whole group of players is looking to have been wasted, unless Nix can get the right coaching staff in here, and its got to be NOW. Think of Spiller's next team - they'll be thanking Buffalo for having just gotten him warmed up! And, from Spiller's perspective, can you blame him? He came out of college thinking he'd be the next great H.O.F. type RB, and he's been 2nd arguably his entire career! He HAS to be asking himself if Buffalo isn't holding him back. It makes me sick to see the team run this way. This offseason will tell me all I need to know about Nix. Our positional needs can be met this offseason: QB/LB in Rd 1 and 2 of the draft. Add WR's, LBers, and another QB throughout the draft. Use F.A. to bring in a speedy TE or another LB/WR. Our roster could be as good as anyone's going into next season, and our team would be young. Think about it. Jon Gruden was said to have stated he looked at key positions when deciding whether or not to take over a team. QB, LT, DE, CB were the top 4 positions. We are set a LT, RB, our entire DL, CB is good, and Safeties are excellent. Our O-line is pretty solid, if not great. A potential coach would have a very high 2013 draft pick, the ability, via draft and F.A., to fill all the holes on the roster, and to choose his QB. The stadium lease takes some of the stress of trying to ease a prospective H.C.'s mind on our stability. Now is the time.

There are QB's in this draft that offer a chance of NFL quality play, and I'd say at least 5 and as many as 10 QB's that would be an upgrade over Fitz. Barkley, Geno Smith, Tyler Bray, Tyler Wilson, Mike Glennon, Ryan Nassib, Landry Jones, Taj Boyd, E.J. Manuel, and then that Alabama QB, if he were to come out. Out of that group, I think most will be gone by round 3. All have potential. Some will be very good QB's. It's for the Bills to figure it out this time, get the right one, and we'll be fine. I, too, wouldn't be opposed to getting 2, letting them compete and propel each other for years.

I admire your intention. However, I believe any expense of energy not solely concentrated on how to fix our own team, how to make it as sound and strong as possible, would be a misuse of our resources. There are too many good teams to base your strategy on adapting to one or a few; it's more sustainable and, I believe, more successful, to get good enough at what you do to force opposing teams to adapt to you. It's more than the talent on the field, its the attitude and level the players and coaches hold themselves to.

How True! Good GM's don't let situations like this arise, unless it is out of their control. Nix should have been working out deals with these two last year - I agree. I foresee Spiller being the same type of frustrating. Think about it: from another team's perspective, we draft Spiller, let him learn the ropes, so to speak, all the while making sure not to run down his body, and just when his contract is up, we start using him more. Now, if we let him see F.A., why on earth would he want to remain with a team that drafted him to be a backup for a year or more, and then only allowed him to play a lesser role to Fred Jackson? Spiller is the type of player who sees greatness in himself. He would respond to a coach who would say, "we want you to go out and be the best RB ever - full time". Not only should Spiller be being used up as much as possible, if we're not going to resign him, to get the most out of our pick, but if we are going to try to resign him, shouldn't we begin early, to avoid the competition that we admit we can't win?

AGHHH!! Yet, the Bills have made some conservative deals; i.e. Ubrik 4yr/13 mil. is a very good deal for Buffalo. Stevie was a good deal. Fitz, although high for us, is really paid the statistical equivalent of his actual rank. They could probably afford to pay both Levitre and Byrd, if they accept a contract roughly 80% of what the high mark is at their positions. I happen to believe the coaching staff has a HUGE part to do with whether or not F.A.'s want to come to Buffalo. We're talking about the RIGHT type of F.A. - not one who would like to just go to a team that is okay with mediocrity (where H.C.'s get paid for losing years, players paid for losing games) and where he could slide. That is on Nix to address, just another reason to add to the list why he needs to make a decision on the H.C. as soon as the season is at end.

I'd not have a problem with Polian coming back, although I think Nix has done an admirable job (with the exception of hiring Nix, and his QB evaluations). However, if I had to choose between Polian for 3-5 years, and Whaley for 5-10 years, I think Whaley might prove to be the better option. It'd be a super nice situation of Polian could come in as a sort of VP of Football Op's, and keep Whaley and Nix together, and just bring in a new coaching staff. I just don't want to lose Whaley - I think he was a very shrewd pick up by Nix, and I believe he'll prove to be a good GM for years to come. When people mention Polian to Buffalo the first thought that comes to my mind is that he'd no doubt go after that Canadian Football League coach, Mark Trestman. I don't even know why I think that, but it just comes to mind.

I was just reading another post and something occured to me: We all, for the most part, want to see Gailey fired and a new coaching staff brought in. Yet, many of us fear Nix will give Gailey another year to turn things around. Well, when a new coach goes to a team, often times that coach prefers to draft his own QB to run his own scheme. Now, if Nix intends on giving Gailey one more year, and Nix also intends on drafting the Bill's next franchise QB this offseason, doesn't it make more sense to spend that draft pick (most likely a 1st or high 2nd round pick) on a QB AFTER you have made your decision on a Head Coach? It just seems like another bad misuse of resources, and awful lack of foresight, to spend that high draft pick on a QB who the next Head Coach might not want. I think this is just the right reason to tip the scales, as far as Nix should be concerned, on firing Gailey as soon as the season is done.

Wow - it shouldn't surprise me that there are as many varying ideas for a turn around as there are posters! Some are extreme, some not so much, but most all agree that we need to hire a new H.C., O.C, and D.C., and the assistants that follow. So, we can mostly all agree a new coaching staff should be found. After that, however, I don't believe we need to blow up the entire team. And, I don't believe a new H.C. and staff would necessarily need time to build a "winner" here. However - this depends on how good a job Buddy Nix can do with the offseason. If Nix really does a good job, these are the things he could do to produce an immediate turn around (and, we should all recognize his talk about continuity as important as just an excuse - continuity should only occur if the H.C. is good enough to win with; Gailey has proven too often he is the CAUSE of our losses, more than not): 1. Nix should Fire Gailey and Co., and find a young, strong minded, talented H.C. with a clear vision and an ability to get excellent coordinators. 2. Nix needs to come out of this draft with a talented starting MLB, QB, and 2nd WR option. Also, we should have young "project" talent added to LB, 2nd string QB, and O/D-lines. 3. Add, via F.A., whatever you can't get in the draft. With a smarter Head Coach, a real NFL worthy defensive scheme, and a healthy O-line (when healthy we have one of the best O-lines in the NFL), adding a franchise QB, a big talented WR to compliment Stevie, having our RB's, and adding a star LB to our group, maybe another F.A. LB, and our offense and defense, personnel-wise, could be good enough, YEAR 1 of a new H.C.'s reign, to compete with anyone. We're not too far off - that is important to remember. However, Nix might try to use that same logic to defend keeping Gailey, which is bad reasoning! Our player talent is good enough to win with without much more added - but our coaching staff has compounded our weaknesses, lost the belief of the players, and is simply NOT GOOD ENOUGH to compete with the really good coaching staffs around the league. That is our biggest weakness - and, as others have mentioned - it should be our first and greatest priority, and it should be considered that nothing gets done until the RIGHT coach is hired. And, as to that last point - there is a benefit to firing the H.C. staff AS SOON AS THE SEASON ENDS - so that you get a jump on the coaching search. It is important not to let the best coaches get hired out under you...

Bravo!